LG: Dekiling gewog’s new gup Padam Singh Mongar has not only won by a  huge majority, but has his eyes set already on the next election.

In the bye-election held on Thursday, gup elect Padam Singh Mongar won 617 votes out of the 1,130 votes cast. The other two contestants, Tshewang Tobgay of Chhoekhorling chiwog secured 345 votes and Tshering Dorji of Gawaithang,168.

With not less than a year left for the next local government election, the gup elect said he would contest the next gup election in 2016. Member elected to fill a casual vacancy left by termination or death of an incumbent can serve for the reminder of his or her predecessor’s term of office as per the Election Act. The former gup, Gomchen, passed away in August.

“I am happy that I am elected as Dekiling gup and have faith in my people that they would elect me again,” said Padam Singh Mongar, a 2005 Class XII graduate of Kuenga Higher Secondary School  in Paro.

Eldest among three, he runs a poultry farm in Sarpang. The gup elect also contested for the post of Mangmi in the last election but lost. There are 3,695 eligible voters in Dekiling gewog. Not a single postal ballot was cast.

Padam Singh Mongar priortised maintenance of road and upgrading Dekiling lower secondary school to middle secondary school during his tenure.

Yeshey Dema, Tsirang